Don’t be intimidated by stuffed artichokes! Transform artichokes into an impressive appetizer or side dish with Parmesan crumbs, olive oil and lemon. Say hello to your new favorite artichoke recipe.
Hello artichoke friends. Have you ever eaten stuffed artichokes? If you’re making artichokes for business and want to make an impression, try stuffing and baking them.
Seriously the best way to eat artichokes ever. I don’t say that lightly. Stuffed artichokes are really, really good.
It’s pretty obvious why when you look at the ingredients. Artichokes are a miracle cure in their own right. Pull back the leaves (petals, actually) and fill them with herbaceous, garlicky Parmesan breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil? Wow.
How to prepare baked stuffed artichokes
There is no pre-steaming of the artichokes in this recipe. You simply cut off the leaves, slice off the top, scoop and discard the choke, and then fill the leaves with the breadcrumb mixture. Place them in a saucepan with water, lemon and garlic, cover and bake until you can easily peel off the leaves.
Covering the dish while it bakes essentially steams the artichoke with the filling inside!
CONTINUE READING:
How to serve baked stuffed artichokes
So good! It’s the perfect appetizer for a spring gathering or a luxurious meal in itself.
Choosing the right artichoke
This recipe works best with medium to large, fresh, seasonal artichokes. Here’s what to look for:
- Difficult: The artichokes should feel heavy when you hold them. If they’re light, that’s a sign they’re a bit dried out and probably tough.
- Squeak: If you hold a fresh artichoke, the leaves will squeak when you squeeze them.
- Closed, not peeled, leaves: If an artichoke has leaves that are wide open, it’s a sign that the artichoke might be old and tough. If it’s still heavy then you’re fine, but if not, look for an artichoke where the leaves are more closed with just a little separation.
- In the season: Peak season for artichokes is spring (March and April). In autumn (October) there is a smaller, second season. Buy artichokes when they’re in season and you have a better chance of getting one that’s fresh and not dried out or tough.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Soggy breadcrumbs? Make sure your pot is the right size so the artichokes are secure and won’t fall over.
- Dried artichokes? Make sure your pot is covered tightly. If you don’t have a lid, use aluminum foil. Add more water if the pot gets dry.
- Hard artichokes? When you buy artichokes out of season, they tend to be tougher and take a little longer to cook. Buy the freshest artichokes in March or April (the peak season) or October (the smaller off-season).
More recipes to try with artichokes
- Grilled artichokes
- Creamy basil artichoke mac and cheese
- Artichoke heart salad poached in oil
- Artichoke Leek Frittata
- Lemon Artichoke Dip
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Baked stuffed artichokes
ingredients
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6 slices White bread
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1 teaspoon Lemon peel
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1/2 Cup grated parmesan cheese
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8th cloves Garlic, divided
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1/2 cup chopped Parsely
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1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
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1/2 Cup plus 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
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1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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2 big globe artichokes
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4 slices Lemon, divided
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1 bay Sheet
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Koher salt, optional
special equipment
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food processor
method
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Make the fresh breadcrumbs:
Cut the crust off 6 slices of bread. Chop the centers and put them in a food processor. Pulse until you have coarse breadcrumbs. You should have about 3 cups.
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Make the filling:
In a large bowl, stir together breadcrumbs, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic (from 6 cloves, reserving the remaining 2 cloves), chopped parsley, chopped oregano, 1/2 cup olive oil, and black pepper. Put aside.
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Prepare the artichokes:
Cut the stem off, leaving 1/2 inch of the bottom row of leaves. Using kitchen scissors, snip off 1/2 inch of the tips of all the artichoke leaves.
Cut 1 inch off the top of the artichoke. (It helps to use a serrated knife like a bread knife for this.)
Take a lemon wedge and rub the cut edges of the artichokes to keep them from browning.
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Preheat the oven:
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
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Stuff artichokes:
Gently pull open the middle leaves of the artichokes with your finger. Pull out the inner tender yellow artichoke leaves. Use a small metal spoon to scrape out and scoop out all of the inner fuzzy choke.
Note that removing the choke is not strictly necessary at this point and will require some elbow grease. However, eating the stuffed artichoke makes it a much easier and more enjoyable experience.
Place the artichokes on a baking sheet (to catch the breadcrumbs) and begin stuffing the artichoke with your filling mixture. Place some filling mixture between each large leaf and artichoke, and a generous amount in the center.
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Bake artichokes:
Pour about an inch of boiling water into the bottom of a casserole holding the artichokes. Add 2 lemon slices, a bay leaf, the 2 remaining cloves of garlic, halved, to the water.
Place the artichokes upright in the water. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil.
Cover the pot tight with a lid. (Remember to cover the dish or this method won’t work!)
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 1 hour or until a knife easily penetrates the heart of the artichoke or you can easily remove one of the outer petals. (Depending on the size of the artichoke, the baking time may vary from 50 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or longer.)
Remove the cover and grill for about a minute, enough to lightly brown the top of the filling.
Place artichokes on a serving platter to serve. The parmesan adds a good amount of salt, but if you prefer more salt, add more to taste.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 537 | calories |
| 39g | Fat |
| 39g | carbohydrates |
| 11g | protein |
